The Governor went out of his office and left him, and
Davenant noticed that a drawer of his desk was open, and he looked
in, and there was an envelope with fifty brand-new one-thousand-
dollar bills in it! He didn't know what they were there for, but
this was a mighty important bill, and he concluded he'd take a
chance. He put the envelope in his pocket; and then the Governor
came back, and after some talk about the interests of the public, he
told him he'd concluded to veto that bill. 'Very well,' Mr.
Governor,' said the old man, 'I have only this to say,' and he took
out the envelope. 'I have here fifty new one-thousand-dollar bills,
which are yours if you sign that measure. On the other hand, if you
refuse to sign it, I will take the bills to the newspaper men, and
tell them what I know about how you got them.' And the Governor
turned as white as a sheet, and, by God, he signed the bill and sent
it off to the Legislature while Davenant waited! So you can see why
he is sceptical about governors."
"I suppose," said Montague, "that was what Price meant when he said
he'd furnish the influence.
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